Anyone got any suggestions as to making a roll cage which would be CAMS approved.
eg:- What steel do you use, type of welder and welding techniques, design and PVC mockups? Its for IPRA NSW which means the suspension points cant be tied into the cage....

I've recently had a cage made for my sunny, you need to know that the cage has to be approved by an engineer to meet strength calculations,otherwise no homologation of cage and no cams approval for you.My papers read: main hoop is CEW/CDW Mild,actually it's all made from this material in various diameters and wall strengths.Also photographs of particular weld attachments must be provided......my sugestion is go see a reputable rollcage builder and be scared about the cost.
Al.

The 2003 CAMS manual gives very detailed specifications for a roll cage. I will admit that I have not read them but apparently since the incident at Phillip Island recently all cages will require TIG welding. The MIG is just not good enough anymore.

The CAMS manual can be bought direct from CAMS for around $40.

If your still wondering by Christmas, I'll be constructing a cage for my own Coupe come track car - as lightweight as possible whilst still meeting CAMS regs, with the goal of spending $500 or less. (maybe someone will have to tell me I'm dreaming - but that is all that is in the budget for a cage at the mo')

If you find the specs feel free to post them, otherwise I'll try an article with photos towards or straight after Christmas.

Hey thanks Mildman...yeah Ive already got the CAMS manual...I was just trying to do it for under $200!!!. Bond has given me a price of $800 for a welded bolt-in one so I might just go with them...they seem reasonable.

humph the prob with roll cages is material cost

bloody CAMS just adopt FIA rules for role cages so ive heard, the issue being FIA requires drawn metal bars to be used

these drawn bars are not made in australia so have to be imported and the process required to make them is expensive anyway

so material costs are high

in australia we make rolled and welded tube, this tube shows the same if not higher strength in every test, and is cheap but not allowed

so yeah morale of the story is material is the big expense

my bro got a bond bolt in cage for his mk.1 esky, they are not ideal and we are not even sure if it will get CAMS approval as it didnt even come with a diagonal bar

he says the chasis is a lot stiffer with the cage in and it has improved handeling (which is suprising) but it was alot of mucking around for him to fit and i dont think it fits all that well either

i think 1500 would buy you a minimal but good rollcage, 800 is absolute minimum, i guess if your using the car for circuit there is less chance of needing the car than in rally

ive also had people with expensive cages praise them as they have rolled their car with minimal structural damage to the car, just requiring to pull/swap or bog panels

So $800 you say for the cage...hmm slightly higher than my $500 expectation.

Is this place in Victoria? As I will be getting a quote from a yet to be named (as I don't know it) company in Dandenong, Vic who may be able to do it cheaper.

A friend of a friend sort of thing, runs the place - just waiting to be supplied a name and number.

I had my cage done by a friend who owed me a favor and it cost me $1000 and he welded the seat brackets in for me as well. So good lick with getting it for under $1000. if it was me I wouldnt go for a bolt in cage, its the main safty feature after the brakes and I dont mind paying extra if its going to save my legs let alone my life, get as many bars in the car as you can afford and forget the bolt in option in two years time they'll be banned and you'll be faced with the same costs all over again.

Howdi all...........

I have been going through some issues with regards to roll cage etc and i agree with a few others, if Peter at Bond can do a cage for $800, JUMP AT IT !!!

The bottom line is when you are building any sort of track or race car, is dont shy off when it comes to safety dude !!!

CAMS have adopted FIA specs for good reason, and when it comes to safety there is no such thing as cheap.

Yeh you can take short cuts or cheaper alternatives when building engines and drivetrains, maybe even presentation if you have to but when it comes down to protecting your scone, get the best cage, race suit, harness and brakes you can afford.

Please dont think that i am telling you how to suck egg's. Since getting into racing and for that point Datto's everyone that has helped me "and there is a few" can not emphasis enough how important it is to have the safest set up you can afford

Cheers
Peddler

Peddler

That's a fair enough call...but it may depend slightly on the form of racing one is engaged in. Sprints on circuits are pretty tame compared to rally and state comp racing.

Altough I think if it costs me a grand or more well then that is what is costs me to protect my life / legs / livelihood.

I guess I would feel pretty stupid if I ended up paralysed from the neck down for a moments lack of judgement, and a few dollars in my back pocket.

I'll see what sort of quotes I get anyway, if they are really good I let the guy know he may have more than one 1200 cage (as long as they are to the full 2003 CAMS specs)

If converterd mentioned IPRA Racing well my thoughts stand, if you are only talking sprints and hillclimbs etc, i would still like to think that the car is going to be as safe as possible.

i aint saying that this is the way that people must think when building a race or track car of any kind but i am telling you champ i have been in a few big shunts on and off road and the worst was an accident where i was only doing 65klm an hour and a guy hit me going half the speed that i was doing and both cars were written off

As a motorsport fan and not blowing my trumpet but i have seen every form of motorsport around the world i can tell you now that you don thave to be going fast to kill yourself in an accident

but you are correct, each to there own buddy......

Cheers
Peddler